Gilligan after loss: ‘We did a good job getting here, we really did’

Jim Gilligan came away from the Lamar University baseball team’s loss in the Southland Conference tournament Wednesday with a positive spin.

The Cardinals played most of this season without two experienced starting pitchers because of injuries. For that, Gilligan is pleased his team’s pitching staff showed enough flexibility to get the job done in tough circumstances.

“We did a good job getting here, we really did,” he said. “Once the two starters went down, you’re asking guys who only throw an inning or two to throw five or six or eight. That’s just not realistic to think that it’s going to happen.”

Gilligan believes the left-handed Stephen Tromblee used the chances given him after the injuries to develop into what Gilligan believes is a pro prospect.

“The great thing that’s come out of this it’s put a great emphasis on Tromblee,” Gilligan said. “Tromblee has become, even though he lost today, he’s become a real dependable guy for us and a guy that’s a prospect.

“That’s happened because of the injuries. That probably wouldn’t have happened without the injuries. That’s the upside of that. That’s about the only good thing that happens in a situations like that is the opportunities for guys. Tromblee is going to have to be counted on in something like this.”

The Cardinals play at 9 a.m. Thursday against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in a game Lamar must win to stay alive in double-elimination tournament.